1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to footwear and particularly to the display of indicia, such as logos or trademarks, on an item of footwear. The invention is a shoe having a transparent window. Indicia appear on a removable member engaging an interior surface of the shoe and are visible through the transparent window. A method of practicing the invention also is provided.
2. Description of the Related Art
The footwear business is highly competitive and the display of indicia is commercially desirable. For the purposes of this application, xe2x80x9cindiciaxe2x80x9d mean markings conveying items of information or of decoration. Examples of indicia include logos, trademarks, colors, patterns and artworks. xe2x80x9cIdentifying indiciaxe2x80x9d may be used to identify a make or model of shoe or to identify a manufacturer. The term xe2x80x9cshoexe2x80x9d means any item of footwear, including without limitation a shoe, boot, athletic or adventure footwear, ski boots, and other similar items.
Modern materials and manufacturing techniques make possible innovation in the display of indicia on a shoe. A shoe may display indicia in any of a number of ways, including printing, embossing, embroidering, through the use of an applique, through the use of a molded shape, and many others. The prior art teaches a transparent air bladder incorporated into the heel or sole of a shoe having indicia located in the interior of the air bladder or incorporated permanently into the structure of the shoe. In the prior art shoe, the indicia are visible through the air bladder. The present invention differs from the prior art in that the indicia are viewed through a window in the shoe, not through an air bladder. Also, the indicia of the present invention appear on a removable member and are not printed on the air bladder or otherwise incorporated permanently into the structure of the shoe.
The present invention provides for the display of indicia in a shoe. A window is provided in the shoe communicating from an interior surface of the shoe to an exterior surface of the shoe. Indicia appear on a removable member that engages the interior surface of the shoe. The indicia of the removable member are aligned with the window so that the indicia are displayed to an observer through the window. The indicia may be identifying indicia to commercially distinguish the shoe from other makes or models of shoes or to distinguish the shoe from the shoes of other manufacturers.
The use of a removable member allows great flexibility in the use and display of indicia on a shoe. A manufacturer may, for example and without limitation, inexpensively adjust the indicia to reflect local market conditions or languages, to vary the indicia seasonally, to provide private labeling for a retailer, to provide personalized or monogrammed shoes, or to provide any other marking that a consumer may find desirable. The use of the removable member allows a manufacturer, retailer, or other interested person to inexpensively create shoes that, for example, commemorate a special event, affiliation, person, place or product. Indicia appearing on the removable member and displayed in the window may be used to identify any person, item, group, or interest of any kind.